Device for forming wire handles



Dec. 18, 1956 F. c. BERTRAM 2,7

DEVICE FOR FORMING WIRE HANDLES Filed March 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet' lINVENTOR.

BY ATTORNEY Dec. 18, 1956 F. c. BERTRAM DEVICE FOR FORMING WIRE HANDLESFiled March 19, 1952 w mm mm m E Y E N R 0 w A F B 2,774,391 7 DEVICEFOR FORMING WIRE HANDLES Francis C. Bertram, Mayville, N. Y., assignor,by mesne assignments,rto Reif-Rexoil, Inc., Buffalo, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application March 19, 1952, Serial No. 277,498

7 Claims. (Cl. 140-75) This invention relates to means for forming wirehandles suitable for use with fruit and vegetable baskets. Moreparticularly the invention is directed to a mechanism bywhich a wire rodis progressively shaped to produce a handle having a multiplicity ofangular bends.

Wire handles, for use with baskets formed from veneer splint or paperboard, have only relatively recently come into commercial demand, forthe reason that such handles generally required a series of successiveforming steps or operations'and were, therefore, too' costly to apply toa basket as against the lesser cost of some form of splint handle. Thebending operations or steps for forming wire handles required the use ofcostly mutiple dies that did not readily lend themselves to high speedoperation without frequent interruption for maintenance. Wire handles,to constitute an advantage over splint handles, had to be so formed thatthey could be easily and quickly mounted without special tools and atany convenient place of use. The F. C. Bertram Patent #2,122,082discloses a mechanism for forming wire handles which enabledsufi'iciently rapid manufacture as to greatly reduce the cost of suchhandles and render them commercially competitive with the previouslypermanently attached splint handles. This patent discloses thefeasibility of the rapid manufacture of wire handles when the bends insuch handles are in a common plane. However, handles forrned in themanner set outin this patent required an additional hand bendingoperation to anchor them to the baskets and, in some instances, thehandle did not entirely serve its purpose because of improper assemblywith the basket.

The present invention has for an object the provision of a forming diethat will produce a wire handle having terminals so bent or shaped as tobe readily engageable or disengageable with'the sides of a basketwithout the aid'of tools and, when engaged with the basket, isnonswinging and substantially rigid with respect thereto.

Another object, of the invention lies in the provision of a forming diehaving. relatively movable parts that successively act on. successiveportions of a wire rod to.

form a handle that includes compound bends at its terminals that aresuitable for anchoring the handle to the. sides of a basket.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of a forming diein which the movable parts, functioning in a common plane, produce, bytheir successive operafions, a handle with multiple related bends.Another and further object of the invention lies in the provisionof aforming die having successively operating parts that act on previouslyformed parts of awire rod-for the purpose of obtaining compound bendsatthe terminal ends of the rods that may serve as anchors to beinterengaged with the side walls of the basket.

Other and further objects of the invention will be more fully understoodfrom a consideration of the following specification, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich' Fig. 1 is a planview of the assembly die, with all slid:

-. of the legs 16 are alsoformedwithsemi-circular grooves able unitsshown in withdrawn, inoperative position in full line, and one of eachduplicated unit in operative position in dotted lines; a

Fig. 2 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the positionof certain movable parts, following the first bending operation, dottedlines suggesting the extent of movement of such parts;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar toFig. 3, showing certain o the operative partsin position preparatory to the se'cond bending operation, being takensubstantially as suggested by the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.4, showing the position of the movableparts following the second bending operation; V

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.4, showing the positio of the movableparts following the third'bending operationj Fig. 7 is a view similar toFig. 4, showing the position of the movable parts following the fourthand final bending operation;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of one of the slidable units, shown atthe right in Fig. 1, and is taken substantially as suggested by the line88 of that figure;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the slidable units followingthe second bending operation (see Fig. 5); and

Fig; 10 is a perspective view of a wire handle formed in accordance withthe invention. v

It is not considered necessary to illustrate a machine in which thepresent die is operable, inasmuch as any suitable machine for holdingand guiding the various parts of the die, and for causing the requiredsequential movements thereof, may be used.

. For the purpose of a clearer understanding of the invention, theoperation thereof will be broken down into a series ofsuccessive steps.It will be understood, however, that'the successive functioning of thevarious movable parts or units .of the die are so quick that the'entireoperationof forming a handle appears substantially as a single ratherthan a-multiple operation, and that this is due to the fact that .themovable parts of the die cal-rand do operate with such rapidity as toproduce upwards of a handle per second of operation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 isemployed to' generally designate a central, fixed block. One verticaledge of this block provides a forming'facell and is of a length thatdetermines the length of the bail portion of a handle to be formed froma given length of wire rod 12. As shown in Fig. 1, a pair of movable,duplicate, reversedie members 13 are provided. These members consist ofbase portions 14 and legs 16. The inner edge of the base and leg areformed with lengthwise, semi-circular grooves 17 which-are'adapted toengage the rod 12. The free ends 18; The space between the adjacentsides of legs 16 is suflicient to receive'the block 10 as defined by theend faces 19 and the ends of the rod. Prior to the first'forming step, alength of rod is moved into the position shown in Fig. 1. rounded and,upon initial movement of the dies 13, the rod isbent around theserounded ends-by thelegs'16. The endsof the rod, as the dies continuetomove,- are bentat right angles to the body of the rod and move intocontact with the faces 19 as thedies 13 come into close V proximity withthe block 10. Any tendency of the central portion ofthe rodto bow awayfrom the face 11 of.

thejblock' is counteracted by engagement of the inner edges of portions1 4 withthe rod to hold it as the rod ends are forced into abutment withthe faces 19. The.

Patented Dec. 18, d

The meeting edges of the faces 11 and 19 are an..- V V I ingly hold theshaft in one position of possible rotation.

1 particular. type of handle being-f formed; 1 the'die has a I sectionsubstantially as shown in Figs; 4' tol-7 inclusrve, i

L si i eln L. 'zontal planeand thatth'e. under :s urf aces 'thereof 'areslightly-above, theiplane of thero'd. ends 20; Thus, when the 1 d s 3 .4move into contact. with the fac'es: 36, they are 50 1 men: n;

7 center-with the;'shaft' :23', said-idie -is d still! due. to their.grooved. edges, now. hold. the rod.

firmly in place against the block 10 and remain in this teneolls yiandtofa common extent toward. and away from the ends of the block 10.The forming di 0an-..

e iby thesersupports, a-lthouglninjrversed arrangement,

8B2: denli 1;. bQIhr as; to; structure zands operation and, herefore.-only .one;of-..thenn;will;.be described inrdetail: A housing 22 on thesupportzkmounts a shaft 23;. the' @5 5; off Whifl}; extend beyond thehfousing'i. Fixedto one nd qiat isgshafgisa collar 24' which, by meansof a pin 1 25, is'joined to one end of a spring 26; The othere'endf;this;- .PI l ,is supported'on oneend ofiabracketj27,

by 'thehousing 22} The spring serves to. yield-;

The; shaft extends. th ough. a sleeve 281located .atjthe other-j endjofthe. housing. This. sleeve is. formedwithj. diametrically opposite camsurfaces 29rthat:end inward- 359 he lengthof the sleeve in shoulders 30:Astop lug 31 extends from the, end-of this sleeve substantially.

as shown. As indicated in Fig. 8', shaft 23;has a larger '1dja-rneteredend 32 that'has, a slid-able. fit with the sleeve A;;pin 33;extending radiallysithroughthef sleeve, 30

fengages lug 31 when the shaft 23 occupies the position,

shown {in Eigs I' andS. The end of the shaft may be slotted to receiveone endof a. forming die '34. This d ie-is-locatedand securedby-pin33and a locking screw f 35: The ends. of: the block .10 are stepped and,beyond 35.

f the :faces,{19 have inwardly. :otfr'set faces-36. The die extqfifiiOward theiplane ofuthe'end; face 19'. For the" imme iately uponcompletionof the.. initia1 b di I a step setflout above, supports21 aremoved inwardlyztoward the block 10,/to theextent suggestedby-the dottedlines'in' th right endaof Fig. 1 andinlFigiQ. During 'thismovementoffthe, supports, the er'ids ofithe formingedies 45 into contactwith the faces "36,0f the block. oted; that these dies, when atrest, arein a'horiare or; travelffrornzthe end ofthe ai'e ;-34 .m the face 3613.1 .55 thanythe. fulldistanceof travel of. the support 21Conseqnently,"as .this "support continues its'inwai d move-f v 7 I usrotated about itsztaperededge, compare Figsf.1 4; an'dgS? thismann rdisk .10

' vided... with. a. semicircular I f endsof pin 331move down the -camsurfacesflis" I and 111.150 doing rotate shaft23 and *die 34'; carried.V A

' the'rehya. sinceoneiedge :off the die-substantially on Pied'jsnppensfappai r fromzitsipart alfwrap around f th base bl I do 4 tarottief dsitions'hewnjn' 4 groove 43. which, faces; the. base block 10,thegrooves continuing into and tapering off in the top surfaces of theblocks, substantially 35' shown in Fig. '1.

During the bending step shown com.- pleted in Fig; 5, the remainder. oftheiend portionZQ of a the rod is seated in the uppe r portion of thegroove 43.

A further set of dies, intendedto acton the extremities of portions. 20,areflocatefd. beyond the. bar .39.: andr.cons s1 ti, .a1. P a i h e 6. amq m e. inany suitablernanneLfas by .screws4Z. Plates 4 are movablethrough suitably timeioperatingj e m toward and away from the edge 37 ofthe Dies 46-extend .in a'comm'on. directionbeyond these plates. withtheir under faces in snhstantially the same a horizontal plane as theupper faces of the legs 16 of dies 13.. .The inner ends 48 0f plates 44:are formedwith. depending flanges 49 which are in the horizontal plane46;;pr oje'ctbeyond theflanges '49. of plates (tl'is. critical towthecomplete. formingroperation," The distanceqo'ftravelaofthe dies.46..may,be.;incrcased,.ifirequired, by.- v V the operating-mechanism.therefor, :but cannot 'be'dei-gcreased beyond. thatshowninasmuch asthe.extreme 'end oftheportion 20.. ofgthe rod must clear the die end. 46,.

from: theposition .of f Fig.: 4- to.

ares. 46 move. toward the block 10 This movement is so timed that theends o f the rod swing' and move ahead of 1 theendsof these dies.Continuedmovement-of these diesktoward the bloc lg causes their ends to1conta ct the a 1 tip ends of therods, thus. bhdingthe rod extremities;

' into theform shown in Fig; 6. "ItwilI bernoted that this a hendingstepcauses the rod to: be "somewhat iwrapped j aroundthe ro unded 'ed-geof the diey34i Atjthis point; it will be noted; that flanges 49 of theplates 44:;are in. contact withth'e ends '51 of the pinsor screwsthat'join blocks 42 to'bar 39%As thedies 4.6, move further in thisdirectiongflanjges 49'move bar? 39tovvard theledge 'ofQblo'ck-illfi Thismovement of the barf39pcauses i 'blocks42 to also:contact fljeendportion; 20 '?,I ,as;thej- 1 e omp e e h i *mq emaats; etpo tirc ns qi ra bentf'into' the position shown in .Fig jf H be notedithati'blocks42;j]1 averotat ed"d es I et fliw a' i P s i n, ca s n th ds o.w'ransomn Y around. dies, 34; "The complete wrap. around jof d" by diesJ16] which;

p' t s .0 of the e die i isf ttecre d thou] g thejf m H inssirlemstvalzaaat am.

From the foregoing it will be evident that a given length of wire rodmay be both angular and return bent to form a handle having a bight andT-like extremities for anchoring to the sides of a basket. It will bealso clear that despite the multiplicity of bends and their angularrelationship, the forming dies are only required to move toward or awayfrom the base block in a single plane. Certain of the right anglebending and the return bending of the rod ends is accomplished entirelyby movement of the supports 21 that carry the swingable dies 34. Byreason of the single plane of movement of all the forming dies, it ispossible to cause them to operate with such split-second successionthata machine embodying the structure of the invention may form thehandles shown in Fig. 8 of the drawing at nearly the rate of one persecond.

It will of course be understood, and particularly from examination ofFig. l of the drawing, that handles of different proportions may be madethrough use of the invention, for example, through the use of a longerbase block 10, the greater spacing of dies 13 and 46, and through theuse of differently contoured dies 34. Any such modifications in thedies, necessary to the producing of handles other than the one shown,are considered as being within the spirit and scope of the inventioninsofar as such modifications may be set out in the annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new and for which Idesire protection by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for producing a multiple bend wire handle from a length ofwire rod comprising, a block, die means movable toward one end of saidblock to bend the ends of a length of wire rod therearound and form thehand grip and leg portions of a handle, forming dies, means mountingsaid forming dies for movement toward said block on one side of said legportions, means for them rotating said forming dies to partially bendsaid leg portions, and slidable dies mounted for movement toward saidforming dies and into engagement with such leg portrons to completebending thereof by moving said leg portions relative to said formingdies in a manner and to an extent further rotating said forming dies.

2. A device for producing a multiple bend wire handle from a length ofWire rod comprising, a fixed block, upstanding dies on opposite sides ofsaid block, die means mounted for movement toward one end of said blockto engage and bend the ends of a length of rod therearound to form thehand grip and leg portions of a handle, forming dies, means operable tomove said forming dies toward the sides of said block to overlie saidleg portions and then to rotate them about a predetermined axis topartially bend said leg portions, and slidable dies mounted for movementtoward said upstanding dies to engage and complete the bending of saidleg portions by moving the same around said forming dies and intocontact with said upstanding dies in a manner causing further rotationof said forming dies.

3. In a device for producing a multiple bend Wire handle from a lengthof wire rod, a fixed block about which a length of wire rod is initiallybent to form the hand grip and leg portions of a handle, forming dies,means for moving said forming dies toward said block to overlie said legportions, means for then rotating said forming dies about an axis commonto their plane of movement to engage and partially form return bends insaid leg portions, means including slidable dies movable toward saidforming dies and having operable parts successively engaging said legportions to further rotate said forming dies and cause said leg portionsto wrap completely around said forming dies with the extremities of saidleg portions abutting said block, and further means for bodilywithdrawing said forming dies from the completely formed leg portions.

4. A die for producing a multiple bend wire handle from a length of wirerod comprising, a fixed block, multiple die parts mounted for movementsubstantially in a common plane toward said block to engage and bend alength of rod thereon, means for, rotating one of said parts about anaxis lying substantially in said plane to engage a portion of such rodand partially form a return bent anchoring terminal therein, another ofsaid parts cooperating with said one part to complete the forming ofsaid terminal, and means for withdrawing said one part when saidterminal is completely formed.

5. In a device for forming a multiple bend wire handle from a length of'wire rod, a block, first die means mounted for movement toward ,oneendof said block to bend a length of rod therearound and thereby form ahand grip portion and'a side leg portion, second die means mounted formovement toward a side of said block into a position on one side of suchside leg portion, third die means positioned on the opposite side ofsuch side leg portion, said third die means being mounted for movementtoward said first die means, means for rotating said second die meansout of said position toward said third die means to bend such side legportion thereagainst and thereby partially form an anchoring part insuch side leg portion, fourth die means mounted for movement toward saidsecond die means into engagement with such partially bent side legportion to further bend the same around said second die means in amanner further rotating the latter to further form said anchoring part,and means for subsequently moving said third die means with said fourthdie means to still further bend such bent side leg portion around saidsecond die means in a manner still further rotating the latter andcompleting the forming of said anchoring part.

6. In a device for forming a multiple bend wire handle from a length ofwire rod, a block, first die means mounted for movement toward saidblock to bend a length of rod thereagainst and thereby form a hand gripportion and a side leg portion, second die means, support means movabletoward said block, means mounting said second die means on said supportmeans for movement relative thereto along a predetermined axis, meanscausing said second die'means to rotate about said axis upon suchrelative movement, means resiliently holding said second die means andsaid support means against such relative movement for movement of saidsecond die means by said support means into engagement with said blockon one side of such side leg portion, said support means being movablerelative to said second die means following engagement of the latterwith said block to cause said second die means to rotate and partiallybend such side leg portion, and further die means mounted for movementtoward said second die means to engage such partially bent side legportion and further bend the same.

7. In a device for forming a multiple bend wire handle from a length ofwire rod, a block, first die means arranged for movement toward one endof said block to bend a length of rod therearound and thereby form ahand grip portion and a side leg portion and to hold such bent rodagainst said block during subsequent forming operations thereon, saidblock having an inwardly offset side wall portion, second die means,support means movable toward the side Wall of said block, means mountingsaid second die means on said support means for movement therewith intoengagement with said inwardly offset side wall portion on one side ofsuch side leg portion, said I

